


How to Reassure a Troubled Jaskier

by TobiBooneTheSmallSpoone



Series: The Sorceress, The Witcher, The Bard and a Girl [5]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe - Small Town, Established Polyam Relationship, Established Relationship, Good Parent Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Multi, Polyamorous Relationships, Polyamory, Small Town/Small Village AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:49:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22245874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TobiBooneTheSmallSpoone/pseuds/TobiBooneTheSmallSpoone
Summary: Geralt and Yennefer do their best to cheer Jaskier up and establish his place in the family. Ciri has some confrontations, then Jaskier, then Geralt finishes things. Ciri adapts, adjusts, and carries on.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt/Jaskier/Yennefer, Jaskier/Geralt, Jaskier/Yennefer
Series: The Sorceress, The Witcher, The Bard and a Girl [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1584583
Comments: 20
Kudos: 300





	How to Reassure a Troubled Jaskier

“So that’s all of it.” Jaskier said quietly, his usually boisterous nature subdued and concerning as they stood about the shop’s front counter.

Yennefer frowned, “Jask, if you couldn’t find work, we could have-”

“Done what?” Jaskier asked, shaking his head, “Geralt said to get work so I went and got work.”

“I didn’t mean-” Geralt started.

“I know,” Jask said quickly, “I know you didn’t mean it like that but that’s what happened. No one was very interested in my music or paying for it around here so I went with the next thing I could offer.”

Geralt frowned, putting a hand on Jaskier’s, “We aren’t so tight for money.”

“I still want to help and be useful." Jaskier looked at their hands and licked his lips, “I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll be back later.” 

Geralt and Yennefer were about to comment further but Jaskier was already out the door before they could. Geralt frowned, “Alright then.”

“I think he feels guilty still.” Yennefer murmured, “Geralt?”

“Hm?” 

“I also think Jask is suffering from chronic insecurity . . . “ Yennefer frowned deeply.

“That’s not good.” Geralt muttered.

Yennefer looked at him and sighed, “Think perhaps we should do something about that?”

“You have something in mind?” Geralt asked, eyebrow cocked.

“An idea, do you remember two winters ago?” Yennefer smiled.

Geralt looked at her, one side of his mouth twitching in a smile, “Yes, I do.”

Yennefer nodded, smirking a bit, “I’ll start getting things together.”

“I’d better . . . get ready too.” Geralt grimaced, “Might need a bit of help.”

“Don’t worry, my wolf,” Yennefer leaned up to kiss his jaw, her hand squeezing his left asscheek, “I’ll give you hand.”

Geralt looked at her and chuckled, kissing her lips slowly, “Be careful, we’re supposed to be doing something nice for Jaskier, remember?”

“I’ll behave.” Yennefer promised.

Geralt didn’t believe her for a moment.

* * *

“And that’s what happened.” Ciri finished, tapping her wood-sword, which she decided she’s name _Splint 3_ (reasoning that it was much too big to be a splinter and she’d had to replace the original practice sword). It was a week after the incident, her cheek was fairly healed up.

Darin was sitting with her on a sawhorse in his father’s barn, their backs against each other and he frowned, “Lucky ya didn’t get killed . . . “

“So I’m told,” Ciri nodded, swiping at some dust motes, “But Geralt isn’t too mad so we’ll keep going now that I won’t tear my cheek back open.”

“Wot’d ya do instead if ya can’ swing yer sword?” Darin asked, leaning back into Ciri to watch a pair of swallows flitting about the rafters.

Ciri groaned and shoved Darin back, leaning her weight into Darin as some dust was dislodged by the busy birds, “Books . . . Geralt made me read lots of books . . . bestiaries, alchemy, armor repair, sword maintenance . . . Apparently he’s hoping to bore me to death since the panther didn’t manage it.”

The redheaded boy nodded slowly and worked his jaw, “Yer father’s pretty forgivin’ then, mine’d probably tan m’hide if I snuck out like that.”

“Geralt isn’t my father,” Ciri tilted her head back and frowned.

“He ain’t? Ya look so alike though, ‘specially now with the scars.” Darin snorted, “So which one’s yer parent then? The witch?”

Ciri frowned deeper and moved away from Darin, “None of them and Yen _isn’t_ a witch.”

Darin almost upended and had to right himself then he turned around, “Alright, alright, don’ mean nuthin’ by it. 's just wot people say.” He rubbed his arm, “Anyways . . . I made sumthin’ fer ya.”

Ciri hopped up on the sawhorse and stood to balance up on her toes, “Oh? More flowers? You know I don’t like them much . . . “

“Naw,” Darin snorted and reached into his pack for a bundle of rags, “ . . . M’Pa said that learnin’ ta forge swords is a waste of steel when there’s plows an’ horseshoes t’make so . . . I did a bit’a sneakin’ m’self over the week.”

Ciri squatted down and took the bundle unwrapping it, inside was a crudely made knife with a wooden handle, “You made this?”

“Yeh,’ Darin wiped his nose on his sleeve and his ears reddened, “It ain’t good, not even enough fer slicin’ bread but ‘m havin’ ta teach m’self how to forge it so . . . first attempt.”

Ciri flipped the knife over and sure enough the weight and balance was off, the hilt was crude and probably would leave blisters and calluses in her hand if she tried to use it but she smiled, “It’s a good start.”

Darin smiled and his whole face turned red, "...thank ya. Had to swipe the metal an' I had ta do it by ear at night on account'a Pa not knowing how ta make a blade that ain't meant fer the field."

Ciri blinked at the crude knife, "maybe you should hold onto this then? It isn't going to be much good in a fight as it is."

Darin sighed, "true enough but if m'Pa sees it an' figures out that it's made of the iron he bought ta repair McCanin's scythe, he’ll have my hide."

Ciri hopped down, tucking the knife back in the rags, "you shouldn't have done it if you’d get in trouble!”

“I wanted ta do it.” Darin swung his leg over the sawhorse and hopped down.

“Well . . . okay, but next time I’ll talk to Geralt about getting materials so you don’t-”

“ **Darin**!” A gruff voice called.

Darin flinched and quickly hurried to the door, “Eh, comin’ Pa!”

“What’re ya doin’ in there?” Darin’s father called.

“Nuthin’.” Darin sidled out, he was just closing the door behind him when Ciri pushed out next to him. He gave her a funny look that she ignored.

Darin’s Pa was a big bear of a man with a big red beard and his leather apron stretched across an ample stomach and his massive arms were folded over his chest. He cocked an eyebrow and frowned, “And what were ya doin’ in the barn with that?”

Darin’s face turned red, “Nuthin’!”

“Don’ ya ‘nuthin’ me, Darin Jebbson!” Mr. Jebbson snapped, pointing a meaty sausage-like finger at Ciri, “I don’ want ya fuckin’ ‘round with their kind, the whole lot of ‘em are bad luck an’ witchcraft!”

“Th-That’s not true!” Darin snapped, his hands fisting at his sides, “Ciri’s pa keeps the town safe an-”

“Don’ you talk back ta me, boy!” Mr. Jebbson shouted back, immediately cowing the boy, then he turned on Ciri, “An’ _you_! Get off m’land an’ I best not see ya ‘round here ‘gain or I’ll call the guard!”

Ciri backed up then she grit her teeth, “I-I haven’t done anything wrong!”

“Spoiled little bitch, get _off_ m’land!” He shouted, his face turning even redder.

Ciri yelped and turned to flee, glancing once at Darin but the boy wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at the ground.

* * *

Geralt, Yennefer and Jaskier were checking the store’s stock when the door slammed open then closed, Geralt blinked and their attention turned to Ciri who was breathing heavily and was leaning back on the door, “Ciri? You alright?”

Ciri blinked slowly, her jaw clenched and she nodded, “Mhm, just . . . um, _running_.”

The three adults exchanged looks and Jaskier stood up, “I see, well, um, Ciri would you mind coming and helping me with something?”

Ciri nodded and wiped her hair out of her face, “Sure.”

* * *

“So . . . what did you need?” Ciri asked, still a bit shaken from her earlier confrontation.

Jaskier sat on the stone wall on the back of their small bit of property, staring toward the woods, he sighed, “I wanted to talk.”

“Oh.” Ciri climbed up next to him, “about what?”

“Well, the other night when you came to where I work.” Jaskier watched her get comfortable, “Do you remember?”

“The part with the panther sticks out a bit more in my memory but yes,” Ciri peeled some lichen off a stone slowly, “What about it?”

“Well, I just wanted to make sure you understood why I was th-”

“You told me, you wanted to work.” Ciri looked at him and flicked the lichen aside, “I understand, Jask.”

“I . . . right,” Jaskier sighed and grimaced, “Alright.”

Ciri looked at him, “How’d they take it?”

“Pretty well,” Jaskier leaned back, “Lots of ‘you don’t need to do that’ and ‘we’re fine with money’, as if that’s my motivation. I don’t _always_ just like being the pretty face.” He looked at Ciri and grimaced, “And I should _probably_ not be burdening a twelve year old with my problems.”

“I thought that was what family did?” Ciri asked, then had thoughts about Mr. Jebbson and how Darin looked around the big man, “ . . . most of the time.”

Jaskier leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees, “I suppose, not like any of us have a lot of experience in any of that. We have structures in our lives that _feel_ like family, we gather people that we think are like us . . . we do our best but let’s face it, we’re winging it most the time.”

“Seems to be working so far.” Ciri said hopefully, looking at him and feeling something slithery in her guts, “We do alright!”

Jaskier looked at her and he smiled, putting his hand on her cheek and brushing some of her hair back, “We do alright,” He agreed, “The gods have decreed my life to be a strange, tumultuous path full of heroes, maidens and monsters, but this part was a surprise.”

Ciri shifted and licked her lips, “A . . . _good_ surprise right?”

Jaskier chuckled and put his arm around her, “A _great_ surprise, princess. I wouldn’t go back and choose any other path.” He blinked, “Well . . . maybe a _few_ things I would change . . . “

“Jask?” Ciri asked, putting her head on his shoulder.

“Mhm?” Jaskier joined her in peeling lichen and moss off the rocks.

“Are you ever . . . afraid of other adults?” She asked softly, watching a pair of swallows flitting about a tree.

“All the time,” Jaskier nodded, “I’m not sure if you noticed, Cirilla my dear little spud, but I am a rather soft, defenseless being so pretty much anyone could do whatever they wanted to me and I wouldn’t be able to do much about it.” His eyes got far away for a moment then he blinked and smiled at her, “But I know that if anything happens I do have a Witcher, a Sorceress and a _very_ capable little girl to defend me.”

Ciri nodded, “What do you do when people say bad things about Geralt or Yennefer?”

Jaskier puffed his cheeks out and worked his jaw, “Well . . . if one of them isn’t there to defend the other . . . “ He grimaced, “Can I be completely honest with you?”

“Yeah.” Ciri searched his face, the slithery thing coiled in her stomach.

“I don’t do much beyond writing songs for them and making sure everyone knows the words.” Jaskier said softly, “I can’t win a fight with the bastards that talk about them in the bar or on the street or behind their hands. When I hear someone say something against them, I keep walking, no matter how angry it makes me or how untrue it is and use it for fuel on the next song.”

“But why?” Ciri asked incredulously.

“Because that’s how _they_ handle it generally,” Jaskier shrugged, “Geralt and Yennefer don’t suffer fools and idle chatter. That and if I picked a fight it would ruin my pretty face and hands and then where would I be?”

Ciri blinked then looked down, “Darin’s father called me a ‘spoiled little bitch’ and said we were all bad luck and witchcraft.”

The stick Jaskier had tugged out of the wall snapped in his hand and there was a creaking sound as he ground his teeth, “ . . . did he now?”

“Drove me off his land too . . . “ Ciri breathed out, the slithery thing flopped about and she felt uncomfortably hot in the face.

“ _You_ _don’t say_?” Jaskier slowly hopped off the wall and helped Ciri down.

“Are you okay, Jask?” Ciri asked.

“Mhm,” Jaskier nodded shortly and cleared his throat, “Darin’s father is the smithy, isn’t he? Swarthy, size of a mountain, bends steel bars with his bare hands?”

“Yes?” Ciri frowned.

“Good to know, alright, well I think Geralt was hoping you’d muck out Aderon and Roach’s stalls this afternoon so why don’t you get to it?” Jaskier smiled tightly.

Ciri blinked and nodded, “O-Okay.”

“We’ll let you know when it’s time for dinner, run along!” Jaskier watched as she uncertainly hurried around to the front of the property to the stables. He swallowed thickly and breathed out heavily before turning and driving a fist into one of the stones in the wall, “Ah! Oh, fuck, okay, that was a bad idea!” He grimaced and shook his hand out, “Ouch . . . “ He glared at the still-standing wall, “You could have had the decency to at least shift a bit!”

* * *

“The hell happened to you?” Geralt got to his feet as Jaskier came in.

“Oh, just had a discussion with a stone wall.” the bard muttered, sitting down at the table, he put his hand on it and swallowed thickly, “I have a contract for you, Geralt.”

Geralt blinked as Yennefer hurried to make sure Jask didn’t have any broken bones, “On . . . the wall?”

“No, on a surly smith by the name of Jebbson.” Jaskier snapped, his face contorting in pain as Yennefer extended his ring finger and aggravated the swollen and bruised knuckle.

Geralt blinked, “Jask-”

“I’m dead fucking serious- OW! Yen, will you leave off for _five seconds_!” Jaskier shouted, pulling his hand away and standing up.

“Alright, sorry!” Yennefer backed up a bit.

“Jaskier, sit down and explain.” Geralt pointed at Jaskier’s seat seriously.

Jaskier huffed and sat down, “I think I explained as much as I need to, go and do the thing you do.”

“I don’t just kill people that you don’t like.” Geralt crossed his arms.

“He called Ciri a ‘spoiled little bitch’.” Jaskier said.

Geralt stood up, “I’ll get my sword.”

“Oh, okay, hang on,” Yennefer grabbed Geralt’s arm, “As much as I’d love to burn the house down of anyone that looks at Cirilla sideways, but we can’t just kill him and destroy everything he owns.”

“He also drove her off his land.” Jaskier pointed out.

Yennefer blinked and smoothed her blouse, “Should I light the house or the forge on fire?”

“Both.” Geralt muttered.

They all stopped and looked at each other, Jaskier’s eyes flitted between them and he sighed, “We’re not really going to go kill him, are we?”

Geralt sighed and sat down, “ . . . no.”

Yennefer also sat back down, looking disappointed, “It’s a lovely thought but . . . “

“We can’t really rile up the locals and get run out of town . . . “ Geralt grumbled.

"Also probably a bad example to set for our Ciri." Yennefer muttered.

Jaskier clenched his jaw angrily and joined them, holding his hand out for Yennefer, “Son of a dog wouldn’t talk so big if he wasn’t cornering a little girl . . . _bastard_. . . “

Geralt growled softly, “Hmm.”

“He had better hope he doesn’t when we _are_ around.” Yennefer muttered, “Nothing looks broken, just swollen. I’ll take care of that quickly.”

Jaskier watched her wiggle her fingers over his hand and murmur some words and then it didn’t hurt anymore. He stared at his hand and flexed it slowly, “ . . . All I want is for Ciri to hear nothing but good things, after traveling around with you two misery magnets its hard to hear so many negative, horrible things about you and now Ciri too . . . “

Geralt thought to all the awful names or titles he’d acquired over the years, he slowly got to his feet, “I need to go check on Ciri.” Geralt muttered.

Yennefer reached out and took his hand, “Geralt . . . “

He stopped for a moment but pulled his hand back, “I’ll send up a signal flare to warn you if we’re about to be run out of town.” then he left.

Jaskier bit his lip slightly and grimaced, “She’s a good kid, dammit . . . haven’t we been through enough?”

“It would seem we haven’t.” Yennefer said softly, looking at Jaskier, “Come on, Geralt will be back shortly and we have something for you.”

“For me? Why, you shouldn’t have unless it’s more bad news in which case, no thank you.” Jaskier sighed tiredly.

Yennefer fixed him with a look then lead him upstairs, “you wanted to contribute to the family coffers, yes?”

“As much as I can,” Jaskier shrugged, “I know I’m not exactly skilled beyond music but I-”

“Here.” Yennefer held out a folded piece of parchment, “We pulled some strings and got this for you.”

Jaskier stared down at the paper, “This is a contract.”

“For a bard, yes,” Yennefer moved to read over his shoulder, her hands sliding up his forearms, “There’s a week long engagement party for some lord’s son a few days from now, they’re looking for entertainers and you’ll be paid by the day. It’s simple, Jask, Geralt will escort you up there and then come back and get you when the week is out. You’ll also get to stay in the Lord’s castle and there should be loads of very bored young courtiers who would _love_ to hear all about your adventures.”

Jaskier blinked at her then down at the paper, “You . . . you did all this for me?”

“We did. It won’t be much fun without you here, but we know how good this will be for you.” Yennefer smiled, “If you want to go, that is.”

Jaskier turned and kissed her cheek, “Thank you, Yen, if it isn’t inconvenient, I would love to hold to this contract.”

“Good, Geralt was hoping you’d say that. Come to think of it, maybe I should have waited for him to tell you . . . “ She sighed, “Oh well.”

“I need to go pack!” Jaskier turned to their rooms, smiling widely.

* * *

“If you two could stop shitting _so much_ !” Ciri grumbled, wiping her forehead, “It’ll be worse once I get my horse and if anyone in this house thinks I’m mucking out _three_ stalls they’re-”

Geralt leaned on the stable doorframe and cleared his throat.

Ciri blinked, still bent over her shovel, “But it builds character and is a good exercise for maintaining a clean stable and happy, healthy hor-”

“Laying it on a bit thick?” Geralt asked, he reached over and picked up a pitchfork to help her.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea as to what you are referring to.” Ciri grunted and dumped a load into her wheelbarrow.

“Hmm.” Geralt watched her as he worked, the hard line of her brow and set of her jaw, she was thinking very hard, “ . . . Jask told us about Mr. Jebbson.”

“Knew he would, one of the good things about him is that he’ll just exposit all the things I don’t want to go back over every five seconds.” Ciri muttered, wiping a forearm across her forehead.

Geralt nodded, “I can sympathize.” He moved to lay down fresh straw, glancing where Ciri had hitched Roach and Aderon to a post outside the door, “ . . . I’m sorry.”

“For?” Ciri set her shovel aside and wheeled the barrow out to deal with shortly, then she turned, wiping her hands together.

“How the world sees you thanks to us,” Geralt moved to Aderon’s stall and sweeping his hand through the grain bin to clean out spare bits of straw and hay, “ . . . more thanks to me, really.”

“I don’t really care what that over-sized blowhard thinks of us,” Ciri muttered, glaring out at the sun, “I don’t care what people who know nothing about our family think of it and I especially don’t care what they think about you based on stupid stories drunks tell in a tavern!”

“Then what are you angry about?” Geralt leaned on the stall gate and tilted his head.

Ciri turned to him and huffed, “I’m . . . I’m angry because . . . it _isn’t_ true . . . it’s all lies and none of them care enough to even bother finding out the truth.”

Geralt nodded, “I understand.”

Ciri’s mouth twitched in a grimace and she looked up at him, “Does it ever stop?”

“Depends,” Geralt breathed out and moved to lead the horses out to the back of the property to their pasture, “Alright, that’s done, let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” Ciri trotted up to fall in step with Geralt.

“To Mr. Jebbson’s.” Geralt muttered.

“I . . . I don’t want to go back there.” Ciri stopped at the front of the house, hanging back.

Geralt stopped and blinked at her, he squatted down and grimaced, “Alright, you can stay here if you’d like, but I’m not going to let him think he can talk to you like that.”

Ciri fidgeted and looked at her feet, “Okay.”

Geralt stood up and put his hand on her head, stroking the blonde locks, “I shouldn’t be long.” 

Ciri watched him going down the road toward the smithy’s, “I-I love you, Geralt!”

Geralt was stopped short, the words never failed to make a smile spread across his face. He turned and smiled at her, “I love you too, Cirilla. I’ll be back shortly.”

Ciri waited until he was almost around the bend before she sat on the front step and watched other people going back and forth on the narrow street.

* * *

Geralt’s anger had long since been tempered into a honed, useful tool, it had taken years of meditating and discipline, constantly getting knocked down for being cocky in his youth and many a scar for his troubles. He thought about that as his fist made contact with Jebbson’s jaw sending the giant man back several paces. They were both panting, bruised and exhausted, what had started as perhaps a bit louder-than-needed and clearly one-sided shouting match devolved into a fistfight when several unfavorable words were bandied about involving the ones he held dear.

Jebbson spat out a glob of blood and maybe a tooth, glaring with his one unswollen eye and wiping more blood off his face as it dripped from his nose, “Freaks, the lotta ya!”

Geralt grunted and shook out his hand, for his part the blacksmith had gotten in a few good, if not clumsy, hits to his rib-cage, jaw and his left ear. The Witcher grunted again and lifted his fists again, “Right . . . Stand down before you get really hurt.“

“I’ll yield ta a whoreson _freak_ like ya when ‘m dead in the ground!” He shouted but he was tired, sweating and winded.

Geralt assessed the situation and put his fists down, if they kept going Jebbson’s hands or his life would be ruined, both of which he would need, “I’m not going to deprive a family of the meat on their table. We’re done here, next time Roach needs shoes, it won’t be from you and stay _away_ from Ciri.” 

Jebbson laughed harshly, spitting more, “S’fine by me!”

Geralt nodded and turned to leave, anger sated and he was certain his point had been made-

“Keep that lil wench off m’l-”

He didn’t get to finish, Geralt had swung the shaft-end of a hammer across the back of his skull, dropping the smith like a bag of grain.

* * *

“Ooh! And I’ll need a new cloak, definitely!” Jaskier smiled as he sat on top of the small trunk he was packing.

“Laying it a bit thick, aren’t we?” Yennefer asked, “This is a _business_ venture, Jask, not your coming-of-age ball.”

Jaskier leaned over to her, “Some people mistake pleasure for business.”

"Or business for pleasure.” Yennefer lowered her lids and cocked her head back.

“Luckily for me, pleasure _is_ my business.” Jaskier chuckled.

“And I am in the business for some pleasure.” Yennefer grabbed his arm.

“In that case, would you like to be at my business end?” Jaskier wiggled his eyebrows.

“It would be my pleasure.” Yennefer kissed him slowly.

“You both are so strange.” Ciri muttered from where she was flopped on their bed on her back throwing a small ball in the air and catching it.

Jaskier broke the kiss and laughed, “Someday, my little she-devil, you will find someone-”

“Or a some _ones_.” Yennefer added.

“Yes, or some _ones_ ,” Jaskier nodded, “That makes your insides gooey and your ears turn red every time you see them. Then you’ll be exactly the same as us.”

“Gross,” Ciri rolled over, “Yen might be okay with slumming about with two smelly boys but I won’t be!”

“‘Slumming with two-’” Jaskier put a hand to his chest, scandalized, “Young lady, I smell wonderful and Geralt doesn’t _always_ smell like a butcher shop-”

“Sometimes I smell like a flower garden for how much perfume these two wear.” Geralt leaned on the doorway, smirking.

Ciri hopped up and ran over to him, “Are you alright? What happened? I thought you went to _talk_ to him?”

“What’s going on?” Yennefer asked, looking suspiciously around.

“Tried to have a chat with the smith. Didn’t last.” Geralt muttered, “I’m fine.”

“Adults are going to talk, run along.” Yennefer frowned and was pleased that the girl didn’t even question before leaving but her hand snapped out to grab Jaskier, “ _Not you_.”

Geralt blinked and looked about, “What?”

“Did we _not_ just have a discussion where we decided that physically altercating with the locals is a _bad_ thing to do?” Yennefer demanded, crossing her arms, “And it was _you_ that said so?”

Geralt grimaced, “It didn’t start out that way.”

“But you let it get that far! Geralt, we are _trying_ to stay inconspicuous!” Yennefer threw her arms up, “You could have walked away at any ti-”

“Would you have been able to?” Geralt demanded, pointing a finger at her.

Yennefer opened her mouth then grimaced, “ . . . probably not.”

“Exactly. I tried to just talk and he escalated it.” Geralt ground out, “I _tried_ Yen.”

Jaskier twiddled his fingers and cleared his throat, “Um, so, Yen gave me the contract.”

Geralt blinked and looked at him then Yen, “You already gave it to him?”

“Oh don’t give me that look, you ran off to go have fisticuffs before dinner and missed the reveal,” Yennefer grumbled, “And I wasn’t going to let Jaskier sit around a be miserable longer.”

Geralt frowned and his shoulders shifted a bit, “Oh . . . “

Jaskier quickly moved forward, “Here, this was my exact reaction. _Oh-my-gods-I-needed-this-thank-you-so-much-I-love-you-both-so-much-I-can’t-wait-to-go!_ ” He jumped up and down a few times smiling widely and shaking his fists at chest height, “Yay!”

Geralt smiled slightly, “Was that it?”

“Not quite but yes.” Yennefer smiled, “I’m sorry I didn’t wait for you but as you can see, his excitement hasn’t abated any.”

Geralt put his arms around Jaskier’s shoulders, “Well, I’m glad you like it. And,” He leaned to the side and nodded toward the almost overflowing trunk, “It looks like you’re almost packed? Sure you can carry all that?”

“Well, you see,” Jaskier leaned into Geralt, “I was hoping to borrow your ho-”

Geralt dropped his arms, smile gone, “No.”

“Oh come on! I just need a horse for a week-” Jaskier pouted.

“No, you need a horse for the ride there and back, two days,” Geralt shook his head, “You aren’t taking Roach.”

“Yennefer already said I couldn’t take Aderon, though!” Jaskier huffed.

Geralt looked at Yennefer, “Why?”

“Because the last time Jaskier ‘borrowed’ a horse, it came back covered in brightly colored paints and I had to use magic to properly remove the ‘horn’ he’d gotten stuck to the poor thing’s ass.” Yennefer snapped, “He is _not_ borrowing Aderon to take on a trip to a week-long party. He can rent one.”

“I promise, upon my lute, that I will return Aderon his proper colour.” Jaskier said holding up his right hand, “And with as many horns as he began with, that is to say, _none_.”

Yennefer frowned at him then sighed, “Alright, you can take Aderon.”

“There was that so bad?” Geralt chuckled.

“Yes.” Yennefer glared at him, “Now, Jaskier and you are going to be leaving in the morning?”

“Yes.” Geralt nodded then glanced at the trunk, “If he’s packed by then.”

“I’ll be packed.” Jaskier smiled wider.

“Excellent.” Yennefer smiled again at seeing the bard so happy.

“Wish you were coming with me, though.” Jaskier’s smile fell a bit and he looked at them both in turn, “Sort of gotten used to having you all around.”

“I’ll be going on the trip there and back,” Geralt said softly, “And I’m sure you’ll be too busy chasing skirts about to miss us all that much.”

Jaskier tapped his chin, “True, true, but it just isn’t the _same_ you know? Certainly courtiers and fair maidens alike gasping under my impressive manhood and writhing about just for me to put them in a song is flattering and so much fun but . . . there’s something so . . . _comforting_ being wrapped about in the loving embrace of two powerfully attractive individuals such as yourselves.”

“We’ll miss you too, my dandelion.” Geralt murmured, reaching up to stroke his fingers through the bard’s short hair.

“Mm, is Ciri outside?” Jaskier asked softly, leaning into Geralt’s hand.

“Jask, it’s the middle of the day.” Yen chuckled, moving up behind him.

“True, but I have a boner _now_.” Jask whined as Geralt’s hands slid over his shoulders.

“And you can hold onto it until after dinner, we have another something planned for you.” Yennefer smiled, her hands sliding over Jaskier’s waist, “But you’ll need to be _patient_ , Jask.”

“But I _hate_ being patient!” Jaskier whined and leaned into their hands.

“We know, which is why this is fun for all of us.” Geralt chuckled and pulled Jaskier closer to grind them together.

“Oh, I see.” Jaskier smirked, stroking his fingers up Geralt’s chest, “Does the sweet butcher have some meat for me to sample?”

“Actually,” Yennefer smiled, “It’s the butcher who will be doing the sampling.”

Jaskier blinked and his eyes widened, he slowly pointed to Geralt then to himself, “Whomst? Me?”

“Don’t piss yourself, alright?” Geralt chuckled.

“Oh ho ho! How much convincing did this take?” Jaskier clapped his hands in anticipation.

“Well, after a bit of wine and some . . . _practice_ , he was pretty alright with it.” Yennefer chuckled.

Geralt’s ears reddened at the tips and he cleared his throat, “The dildo was a bit much . . . “

“Oh hush, I take that all the time.” Jaskier smiled, “Does the idea excite you, Gerry, my cock inside you?”

“I think you both want this more than I do.” Geralt cocked an eyebrow.

“It’s a power thing.” Jaskier shrugged, “So after dinner then?”

“Yes.” Geralt let him go and turned to leave only to startle at his ass being smacked, hard. He turned and glowered at Jaskier but the bard looked like the cat that got into the cream.

* * *

Ciri sat up in bed after dinner, she thought about the things Mr. Jebbson said and how Geralt looked when he got home. She sighed heavily only to gasp when a rock hit her window, Ciri frowned and hurried to throw it open and lean out, “Who’s down there?” She hissed.

“Over ‘ere.”

She looked and there was Darin by the stables, he kept glancing over his shoulder, “What are you doing down there?”

“M’Pa says ‘m not to see ya ‘gain so this is the only way we can talk, see?” He shrugged and carefully moved to be right under the window, “Makes sense d’n’it?”

“I guess but I mean, why are you here now at this time?” Ciri asked softly, leaning out the window and looking about.

“‘S cuz I wanted ta see ya.” Darin rubbed his arm, “Make sure ya was okay after wot happened . . . ‘m sorry ‘bout that, truly I am.”

Ciri frowned then sighed, “It’s . . . alright.”

“That Geralt fella, he beat Pa pretty badly,” Darin looked up at her, “Not that he didn’ d’serve it, mind ya, wot he said was rubbish an’ he bloody well knows it!” Darin grimaced, “‘m glad he stopped when he did, though . . . “

Ciri huffed, “Hang on, i’m coming down.”

“Yer wot?” Darin stepped back as Ciri swung herself over the windowsill then shimmied down a drain pipe then land on her feet, “Oh.”

“Anyway,” Ciri swept her hair out of her face, “I’m sorry I made your father angry.”

“For doin’ wot? Bein’ around? Naw, he’s the out of line one. Yer my mate, Ciri, yer family is alright in my book.” Darin shrugged.

“Glad you think so.” Ciri smiled, she looked up at the night sky, “Wanna go sit on the ridge and watch stars?”

“Yeh.” Darin nodded and followed Ciri along the back wall.

* * *

“Alright, Ciri’s in bed, so why don’t we- . . . oh _my_.” Jaskier leaned back on the bedpost and smiled, “Well, aren’t you a pretty picture?”

Geralt cocked an eyebrow from where he was spread-eagled and tied to the headboard by his wrists, “Thank the gods you aren’t a painter then, I’m not holding this pose for long.”

Yennefer smiled and stroked a feather between Geralt’s spread thighs, his small-clothes stretched against his erection, “Although he is _primed_ for teasing.”

Jaskier sauntered in and crawled onto the bed, “Ah, how far we’ve come since you told me to fuck off in a tavern all those long, long . . . well it wasn’t that long ago but . . . “

“I remember.” Geralt watched him as the bard knelt between the Witcher’s legs, his eyes hazy as the feather stroked up his stomach and over his pectorals.

“And yet you still ended up naked in a perfumed bath within an hour,” Jaskier murmured, leaning to kiss above Geralt’s navel, “You were so _miserable_. Just needed a little love and a gentle touch, so starved for affection.”

Geralt swallowed and breathed out as the wandering mouth spread kisses over his abdominal muscles, the top of his hips and along his waist, “ . . . you like to think you were my first love, don’t you?”

“Wasn’t I?” Jaskier wiggled his eyebrows and palmed Geralt’s groin, “Yen, he’s very ticklish on his sides.”

“Oh?” Yennefer smiled and moved the feather to Geralt’s left side.

Geralt jolted and hissed, “Ah! Stop that!”

But the Sorceress just laughed behind her hand and stroked the feather up to Geralt’s armpit making the Witcher yelp and glare at her, “Sorry, can’t resist.”

“Sure you can’t.” Geralt muttered then turned his attention back to Jaskier as the bard pulled the waist of his small clothes down and he shifted his legs apart, planting his feet on the mattress.

Jaskier bit his lip, “My oh my, is that me plug up yer arse, m’Lord? Bad show, takin’ another man’s sex tools!”

Geralt glared at him, “If you keep talking, I’m going to lose interest.”

Jaskier laughed and gave Geralt’s cock a few strokes and a squeeze, “No you won’t, you can glare and huff all you like, but I know deep, _deep_ down, you’re wildly amused with me.” He leaned forward and kissed Geralt’s nose, “Now you just sit tight and I’ll get this out of your lovely bottom.”

Geralt rolled his eyes but he smiled a little and breathed out his mouth, “I love you more when you’re quiet and otherwise occupied.”

“No, you don’t.” Jaskier said softly, stroking his fingers down to circle the plug then give it a nudge. He smirked when Geralt’s muscles quivered and his cock jumped a bit.

Yennefer left off with the feather to gently brush her fingernails around the witcher’s muscles down to his cock, slowly gripping it, “Jaskier, let’s tease him too much, he needs to be able to sit a horse for more than five seconds.”

Jaskier nodded and started to ease the plug out, “Now, Gerry, dearest darling, you need to be nice and quiet while I take this out so you don’t wake up Ciri.”

Geralt leaned as far forward as the restraints would allow and narrowed his eyes, “Don’t call me ‘Gerry’, Jaskier.”

“Why, _Gerry bear_ ,” Jaskier murmured, rubbing the tips of their noses together lightly, “You’re all tied up and I do believe that as long as you’re in that state, I can do whatever I want.”

Geralt blinked, still glaring but his cheeks reddened as the plug was pushed slowly in and out with each word and he groaned between clenched teeth, “P-Please, my dandelion, hurry up!”

“Ah, the patient hunter finally broken down with a little ass play, huh?” Jaskier murmured then pulled the plug out, “You just sit there and stay loose while Daddy Dandelion gets undressed.”

Geralt huffed and laid back into the pillows while he watched Yennefer’s wandering fingers started to slide down and circled his hole, darting in every so often, “Better get yourself ready, hm?”

Yennefer nodded and got off the bed, kissing his slightly sweaty temple, “Right you are.”

Geralt watched as both of them got off the bed, Jaskier stood at the foot of the bed, slowly taking his clothes off with what he probably thought was a seductive look on his face while Yennefer took a small bundle of herbs wrapped in a thick piece of white parchment off the shelf then moved behind Jaskier. The bard turned and smiled at her and they kissed slowly, “What’s that?”

“Little something to keep you going for us both,” Yennefer waved it under his nose and a thick purple-ish blue smoke curled around his face, “Just breathe in and relax.”

Jaskier smirked and leaned into the cloud, breathing in slowly then his eyes widened, “O-Oh!” He looked down and sure enough, his cock jumped from the stirrings of excitement to fully erect within a moment, “Interesting . . . and this will last-”

“Until the safe word is used.” Yen smiled, “So you can take us both without getting tired.”

Jaskier reached down and ran his fingers nonchalantly over the erection he was sporting, he looked slowly at Geralt, “ _Interesting_.”

“Very, hurry up.” Geralt grumbled and thrust his hips a bit into the air impatiently.

“Alright, alright, grumpy bear, I’m coming,” Jaskier moved back onto the bed then chuckled, “Well . . . not yet anyway.”

Geralt rolled his eyes and sighed, “Hm.”

Jaskier smirked at his own joke then slid his hands up Geralt’s thighs to grip him behind his knees and push them up, opening the witcher up, “You ready?”

“Yes,” Geralt nodded and then he settled more comfortably on his back, “I’m ready for you, my dandelion.”

Jaskier kissed Geralt’s forehead, “Does the word work for Geralt as well?”

Yennefer nodded as she laid down next to Geralt to watch until it was her turn, “Yes, the safeword will undo the spell no matter which of us says it.”

Jaskier nodded, “Good, here we go!” He held the base of his penis as he eased it into Geralt, biting his lip and moaning in the back of his throat. It had been so long . . . it wasn’t that Geralt didn’t _like_ when they had sex with Jaskier on top, he was just more comfortable topping everyone else in the world.

Geralt curled his spine and breathed in sharply, eyes rolling up in his head as Jaskier settled balls-deep in his ass. He swallowed and finally breathed out, relaxing comfortably as the bard began to thrust and hit that one spot that made Geralt’s toes curl and his breathing hitch. Geralt looked at Jaskier, his head thrown back and mouth open as he fucked the witcher, the throbbing heat inside him making the big man’s cock weep precum all over his stomach, “Jask . . . “ He growled softly and he squeezed his insides down on Jaskier, panting.

Jaskier panted then leaned over grabbing Geralt’s hips and slamming into him, “I-I . . . why can’t I c-come?”

“What?” Yennefer looked up, she was just pulling her wooden cock and oils out to pleasure herself while she waited but now she frowned, “By all rights you should have come at least once by now.”

Jaskier looked a little desperate, his balls kept drawing up like he was going to come but nothing was happening, “Uh, nope, nothing!” then he stopped and stared down at himself and Geralt, “I . . . uh, I can’t get out.”

“Yen! Fix it!” Geralt snapped, he was getting dangerously close to coming and now was _not_ the moment he wanted this to end.

“Oh for the love of- _Gossamer_.” Yennefer said.

They waited a second and Jaskier tried to pull out again but both he and Geralt made varying sounds of discomfort as the bard remained inside him, “Nope, still very hard and very stuck. Why is it every time we decide to spice things up with magic, weird shit happens to me?”

Yennefer frowned and got up, picking up the herb bundle and frowned, “Maybe some of these were a bit old.”

“You didn’t use fresh?” Geralt asked.

“That shouldn’t have affected it _that_ much-”

“Is now the time for this?” Jaskier asked loudly, but not loudly enough that certain children that were supposed to be sleeping might hear.

“Right, um, I guess you have to wait for it to go away.” Yennefer grimaced, “Here, let me help.

Geralt groaned and let his head fall back on the pillows, “Alright, untie me then.”

Yennefer quickly untied Geralt who shifted to be a bit more comfortable, “So that spell did what exactly?”

“It’s supposed to keep him erect as long as we want him,” Yennefer muttered, “Not everything is so cut and dry with magic, alright?”

“I thought it was though?” Jaskier grumbled.

“This was supposed to be something nice for you,” Yennefer explained quickly, “a little send-off before your trip since we’ll miss you so much.”

Jaskier blinked at the two as he sat there, up to the hilt in Geralt’s ass, “ . . . really?”

“Of course.” Geralt sat back, lazily stroking his still-hard cock.

The bard smiled with his eyes a little watery, “Thank you.”

“You also seemed to not realize how much we love you and enjoy having you around.” Yennefer wrapped her arms around Jaskier’s shoulders, reaching down to fondle his balls and then his stomach before intertwining their fingers.

Jaskier lifted their hands to kiss the back of hers gently, biting his lip, “I . . . thank you . . . “

Geralt reached over and took Jaskier’s other hand, “Dandelion?”

“Mhm?” Jaskier leaned back into Yennefer, smiling with his eyes closed.

The Witcher pulled Jaskier close until their foreheads were almost touching and he was scowling, “ _Please keep moving_.”

“Oh right, my penis is in you!” Jaskier laughed and slid his arms around Geralt’s neck, kissing him lightly on the lips before thrusting again, “So sorry, Gerry bear.”

Geralt flipped them so he was kneeling astride Jaskier’s waist, planting his hands in the pillows as he impaled himself on the bard’s cock, “I’m not tied up anymore so _don’t_ call me that!”

“OH!” Jaskier whined loudly, gripping Geralt’s forearms, “P-Please, I need it! I need to come!”

Yennefer knelt next to Jaskier, watching Geralt, “Once you get worked open enough, pop him out and I’ll take a turn.”

“Fine, my hips are starting to ache.” Geralt panted, he grit his teeth and tucked his chin into his chest, “F-Fuck!”

Jaskier reached down and fisted Geralt’s cock, pulling the foreskin back on the downstroke then twisting and squeezing on the way back to the head, “That’s it, Geralt, come on my cock. Let me see that face you have every time you orgasm. That cute face you do where your eyebrows knit together and you’re trying really hard not to drool with your cheeks all red-”

Geralt snarled and slammed down on Jaskier faster, “S-Stop it! I don’t make that ki-kind of ffffffffffffffffffFFFFFFFFFUCK!!”

Jaskier blanched and closed his eyes as cum shot into his face then down his hairy chest, “Ah, there’s that adorable face.”

Geralt panted then hissed in a breath, “Ow! Careful back there!”

Yennefer wiggled a second finger up Geralt and spread them until Jaskier’s swollen penis could fall out, “There we go . . . oh my that gape . . . Geralt, turn around so Jaskier can see this.”

Geralt grumbled but turned around and flopped down on his stomach so Jaskier could see his ass, “Just let me pass out in peace . . . “

Jaskier looked at his cock, it was . . . larger than he remembered around the base, dark red and the veins were sticking out like rivers on a topographical map, he reached out and touched the head, pushing the foreskin down, “Holy shit . . . “ then he looked at Geralt’s ass and his eyes widened, “ _Holy shit_!” He reached over and gently slid three fingers in Geralt making the Witcher groan so he pulled back, “Sorry, Geralt . . . “

“‘M fine . . . “ Geralt mumbled.

Yennefer climbed into Jaskier’s lap behind his groin, she cleaned him off then drizzled oil on his cock before sliding it inside but she stopped and stared at it, “ . . . hm. _Gossamer_.” Nothing happened, “ . . . that’s . . . that should work, why . . . ?”

“I’d say never look a gift horse in the mouth, but this actually isn’t as great as you’d think it feels.” Jaskier mumbled.

“I’m never going to get that inside me without hurting . . . “ Yennefer muttered, glancing at Geralt apologetically, “Sorry my wolf.”

Jaskier propped himself up, “Well . . . are you sure?”

“I’ll give it a try.” Yennefer slowly lowered down halfway then started to bounce on the length she could manage, “Hm, well it’s not bad . . . “

“S-So glad to hear!” Jaskier panted, moaning loudly as he felt her squeezing around him slowly, clenching down on his cock, “F-F-Fuck! Yen~!”

“I will say- oh gods- that it is- fuck, Jask, shift to the left, YES THAT!” Yennefer threw her head back and moaned brokenly, moving faster as Jaskier’s hands slid up to her breasts. She lolled her head back to look at him and she held tightly onto his sides, fingernails digging in, “Dont’ want to- _shitfuckyes_ \- do this again- hah!- but s-still it’s an interesting-”

Jaskier shot up on the bed, nearly throwing Yennefer up and his mouth opened wide in an unholy, wheezing, wordless howl, he held her hips tightly to slam up until cum was sliding out of her and down his thighs and balls before he flopped bonelessly into the mattress. His chest stuttering with shaky breaths as Yennefer and Geralt just stared at him. 

The sorceress was breathing heavily as she slowly sat back, “Oh.”

“Oh?” Geralt repeated, looking in confusion from her to Jaskier.

“ . . . wrong word and I was supposed to say it.” Yennefer put her face in her hand and shook her head, collapsing on the bed next to Geralt, “The fucking word was ‘interesting’ because that was the first thing Jaskier said . . . I thought I had it sussed out to be the safe word.”

“Good . . . to . . . know . . . “ Jaskier mumbled, his eyes were closed, “That . . . oh . . . gods . . . “

“I’ll say.” Geralt mumbled and dragged himself up to the pillows with Jaskier and Yennefer, “ . . . let’s double check magic and make sure everyone knows all the details before we use it for sex again, alright?”

“Agreed, no more of that nonsense.” Yennefer muttered.

“Well, to be fair . . . both times were . . . my fault.” Jaskier snuggled between them and sighed, “I’ll miss you both so much . . . “

“We’ll miss you too.” Geralt murmured.

“Ciri too.” Yennefer added before they passed out.

* * *

“Stars’re real pretty out here.” Darin murmured as he sat next to Ciri on a log they’d rolled to a small ridge by the river.

“Yeah.” Ciri smiled up at the stars.

“So . . . can I ask ya sumthin’?” Darin asked softly, still looking at the stars.

“Sure.” Ciri looked at him.

“If none’a the people ya live with’re yer family by blood, how’d ya end up with ‘em?” Darin turned to her, then looked down, “If ‘m not bein’ . . . uh . . . presum’tious.”

“Geralt found me wandering around in the forest . . . “ Ciri shrugged, “I don’t remember anything beyond that. He already had Jask and Yen in his life so I just sort of went with them. Two years later and here we are.”

“Oh. Alright then.” Darin looked back up at the sky.

“That doesn’t bother you? That I live with two men and a lady? That are all together?” Ciri cocked an eyebrow suspiciously.

“Not m’cuppa but they’re nice ‘nough an’ I like ya so wotever.” Darin shrugged, “Eh, look, there’s a shootin’ one!”

Ciri looked just in time to see a star shoot through the air, “Thanks.”

“No problem, ya’d miss ‘em if I didn’ point em out!” Darin smiled, “Shootin’ stars’re good luck so make a wish.”

Ciri thought long and hard as she stared at the spot where the star had been then nodded, “Okay, I made a wish.”

“Me too.” Darin leaned back and breathed out, “We should get back b’fore they notice ya missin’.”

“You too.” Ciri stood up and brushed the seat of her pants off.

“Naw, they won’ notice me gone. Too many’a us an’ I sleep in the loft in the summer.” Darin smiled and stood up to follow her.

“Oh, well stick close anyway, I know for a fact there are panthers about.” She reached into her belt and pulled out the knife Darin had made her.

Darin’s cheeks reddened and he fought down a smile, “That won’ do much.”

“Maybe not for stabbing but I’ll club it to death if I need to!” Ciri smiled then put it back in her belt, “C’mon, let’s go.”


End file.
